Underactive Thyroid News

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20, 2017 – Having even a slightly underactive thyroid may interfere with a woman's ability to get pregnant, a new Harvard Medical School study has found. Doctors have known for some time that women with low thyroid hormone levels struggle with fertility, said the study's senior researcher, Dr. Pouneh Fazeli. She's an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a ...

TUESDAY, Oct. 31, 2017 – The tiny thyroid gland could have a big impact on heart health, new research suggests. Middle-aged and older adults with an elevated thyroid hormone may be at higher risk of heart disease and death, researchers found. In the new Dutch study, high and even high-normal levels of a hormone called free thyroxine (FT4) doubled the odds of having calcification of the coronary ...

THURSDAY, July 13, 2017 – Poor thyroid function may diminish kidney dialysis patients' health and quality of life, a new study suggests. Hypothyroidism – a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone – is common in dialysis patients, but how it affects them has been unclear. Dialysis is treatment for kidney failure, where patients need a machine to filter their ...

WEDNESDAY, May 24, 2017 – When your thyroid isn't working properly, it can cause a lot of problems. It's important to understand what your thyroid does and to be aware of signs that can signal a health issue. The thyroid is a small gland located near the base of your neck. Its primary job is to produce the hormones that control many bodily functions, including how fast you burn calories and how ...

WEDNESDAY, March 1, 2017 – There's no benefit to treating pregnant women who have mildly low thyroid function, researchers report. Very low thyroid function during pregnancy is associated with impaired fetal brain development and increased risk of preterm birth and miscarriage. Some studies have suggested that even mildly low thyroid function (so-called subclinical hypothyroidism) during ...

THURSDAY, Jan. 26, 2017 – Regular self-exams play an important role in early detection of thyroid disease, a specialist says. That's a timely reminder because January is Thyroid Awareness Month. "The number of cases of thyroid cancer is rising, and while in most cases the outcomes of treatment are favorable, some patients present with disease that has progressed and may be more difficult to ...

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 25, 2017 – Many women may be affected by an underactive thyroid gland, but new research suggests that treating it in pregnancy comes with benefits and potential harm. "Our findings lead us to believe that overtreatment could be possible," study co-author and Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Juan Brito Campana said in a Mayo news release. Campana and his colleagues advise a more ...

TUESDAY, May 10, 2016 – Two cases of children who developed iodine deficiency highlight the risks of putting too many restrictions on young kids' diets, researchers say. The doctors said that the children – aged 2 and 5 – developed iodine deficiency because their diets lacked salt, dairy products, bread and other sources of the mineral. Iodine deficiency is common in developing countries, but ...

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 – People with an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, may be at greater risk for type 2 diabetes – even if their thyroid hormone levels are kept within normal range, a new study finds. As the Dutch researchers explained, thyroid hormones are essential for the regulation of metabolism – the conversion of food into either energy or fat. However, an underactive thyroid ...

-- If you're dwelling on the subject of getting enough minerals, then calcium, iron and potassium may be more on your mind than iodine. But don't neglect the latter, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says. Your body doesn't produce iodine, so you have to get it through diet. It's essential for thyroid hormone production. Iodine deficiency can be a serious problem for pregnant women and ...

THURSDAY, Oct. 8, 2015 – Patients who undergo thyroid removal may be less likely to suffer complications if their surgeon performs many such surgeries each year, a new study says. Removal of the thyroid gland, located at the base of the neck, is a common operation. More than 72,300 total thyroidectomies are performed in the United States annually, usually to treat thyroid cancer or benign ...

-- When the thyroid doesn't produce enough hormone, your metabolism slows, which may lead to dangerous side effects. The University of Maryland Medical Center says symptoms of hypothyroidism include: Feeling tired. Being sensitive to cold. Developing a hoarse voice and slowed speech. Having a slower pulse. Developing hair that is thicker, scaly, dry and more coarse. Feeling numbness in the hands ...

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 25, 2015 – A British study finds a correlation between the amount of fluoride in public drinking water and a rise in incidence of underactive thyroid. While the study is only able to establish an association, not cause-and-effect, experts say the link deserves serious investigation. "Clinicians in the United States should emphasize to patients this association and should test ...

MONDAY, Jan. 26, 2015 – A new study supports the notion that thyroid disorders can cause significant reproductive problems for women. The report's authors believe that testing for thyroid disease should be considered for women who have fertility problems and repeated early pregnancy loss. The research, published Jan. 23 in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, found that 2.3 percent of women with ...

FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 – An expert panel reviewing treatments for hypothyroidism has concluded that the drug levothyroxine (L-T4) should remain the standard of care. The updated guidelines from the American Thyroid Association were published recently in the journal Thyroid. The thyroid gland produces hormones that control the way every cell in the body uses energy. For instance, thyroid hormones ...